camping axe recommendations

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

Thanks! As a public service, it's now brilliant yellow like a highway hazard sign so people can more easily steer around my posts!

And, next time I come to some highway construction, I'll know what to expect.

[MyronL]

For splitting nothing does it like a short handled maul.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by MyronL

For splitting nothing does it like a short handled maul.

I referred to my short handled mauls as engineers hammers. I have two, three and four pound hammers. The two pounder you can swing for a long time and on easy splitting wood and with two or three wedges a respectable pile of fire wood can be generated. The three is a nice compromise and my favorite. The four will do significant work and can drive big wedges the best of the three for me. However, after a little while my wrist and arm get kind of noodley and I’m done for a while. I have a nice mid length 6 pounder. Works ok for stand up driving but is too light for pickup load work. For that I like an 8 lb splitting maul especially on dry straight grained wood. Red Elm is stringy and not easily split by man and hammer but is a great firewood. Have a good rest of the weekend!
Iowa Dave

[MyronL]

Dave, you're a maul after my own heart.

[k corbin]

I purchased a very well made
Estwing Camper's Axe - 14" Hatchet with Forged Steel Construction & Shock Reduction Grip

It is just right for splitting pieces of kindling off the bundles of camp fire wood you can purchase at stores and campgrounds. I also carry a bow saw and a small folding pruning saw.I don't need a big splitting axe or splitting maul. I am camping, I am not out there homesteading putting up a supply of firewood for the winter. Besides that pretty much everywhere in the Pacific NW I would want to go camping in the summer and fall is all under a burn ban. So in the summer I would very rarely be in need of firewood.

My friend who is very much into Axes and their quality took a look at it and it passed his approval for quality and also for good design features. Such as the flare at the end where you hammer that makes it strong enough to strike a maul when needed. I also wanted its notch feature that aids in pulling out tent stakes. So an all around great quality, reasonably priced, not too big and not too small camping hatchet.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by MyronL

Dave, you're a maul after my own heart.

Hi Myron
I worked three summers in a grey iron foundry in the 60s. We made counterweights for Link Belt cranes and parts for Cedarrapids Rock crushers. Every day we would knock hot Castings out of the sand molds held together by steel rings. We used an air powered chain lift to get them waist high off the floor. and swung 10and 12 pound mauls like a baseball bat till they dropped out on the floor.. My partner was a recently released man named Roosevelt Green. He had a 16 that could loosen about anything. That’s when I came to appreciate the techniques and details of what could be done with a good hammer. It’s by far not as crude as it may seem but has nuances often unappreciated. So at 72 I still like to split some wood, set stakes and bang things around. It was 135 degrees F on those floors on hot August afternoons. But it was money for college and a better life ahead.
Iowa Dave

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Hi Myron
I worked three summers in a grey iron foundry in the 60s. We made counterweights for Link Belt cranes and parts for Cedarrapids Rock crushers. Every day we would knock hot Castings out of the sand molds held together by steel rings. We used an air powered chain lift to get them waist high off the floor. and swung 10and 12 pound mauls like a baseball bat till they dropped out on the floor.. My partner was a recently released man named Roosevelt Green. He had a 16 that could loosen about anything. That’s when I came to appreciate the techniques and details of what could be done with a good hammer. It’s by far not as crude as it may seem but has nuances often unappreciated. So at 72 I still like to split some wood, set stakes and bang things around. It was 135 degrees F on those floors on hot August afternoons. But it was money for college and a better life ahead.
Iowa Dave

👍 Great story.

[Jim Bennett]

For a dozen or more years I have carried a Gransfor Bruks Small Splitting Axe. At 23" with a 2 lb head, I have split lots of large knotted rounds with it. Very well made and nice to use. It works just like any axe, and is way safer and effective than a hatchet which some seem to bring along. Packs nice for a canoe and is always in my truck. Not cheap, but well worth it in my opinion. A fantastic, made in Sweden, Axe.
https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/pro...splitting-axe/

I also have their Splitting Maul, which stays out at our rec land, and is awesome at splitting up hordes of rounds. My brother has their Large Splitting Axe, another fantastic axe, but I like the smaller size of mine for packing away while travelling.

[slowpat]

You could get a Pulaski. You light it, you fight it.

https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/p...=85274&redir=Y

[Iowa Dave]

Got two Pulaski fire fighting tools. A True Temper and a Snow and Nealley. Both are good for grubbing and chopping but don’t split wood.
Iowa Dave

[notnats]

I carry a shingle hammer. The blade is long and narrow made especially for splitting and the head has a large Milled Face, great for pounding things around camp like tent stakes and such.

[Len S]

Originally Posted by biker

Hi all,


Any recommendations on a single multi-purpose axe for chopping and splitting firewood to keep onboard?


Thank you!

These work very well for splitting and you don't need any electric power.
The other plus is you get upper body exercise . Another bonus is, no chance of chopping off any of your lower extremities for the more accident prone users.
Highly recommended.

[Ak Ron]

Originally Posted by MyronL

For splitting nothing does it like a short handled maul.

My “go-to” weapon of choice against firewood rounds.

[Dennis McMillan]

Here's our travel "axe". It's just a cheapo bolo style machete with a hook cut into the business end. Great for splitting kindling & managing the fire. We call it "the Craw" with a nod to Jim Carey in "Liar Liar".

[thumper-tx]

Estwing is a good off the rack solution. I have one of their axes but don’t use an axe much while trailer camping . In that situation I split some small scavenged wood but often need to drive stakes for a small pop up or lean to for keeping a few things out of sun and rain. A trail tomahawk works for both duties. Mine came from Two Hawks but there are cheaper options.

[Willieswonder]

I use a 24inch ish Gerber Axe It has a plastic or fiberglass handle. It works great for me splitting and chopping. I am about 5 6 and 165 lbs. I swing hard enough and most stuff splits.
Find what suits you and you should be happy!

[Smoke]

Fiskars splitting are, best option bar none

[Peder_y2k]

Cheap Harbor Freight axe as it wont hurt as much when left behind, or damaged when used improperly.

[Smoke]

Fiskars splitting axe, best option bar none

[Gerry]

I carry a Hudson Bay axe, very sharp and use it mostly to get shavings off wood to get the fire going. A Hudson Bay axe is about 1/2 as long as a full size axe so it is handy also to put stakes in the ground for awning without having to carry a hammer of find a rock. stone age man